Chapter 69
Chapter 69
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 69
Chapter Title: The Moon Inquisitor's Purpose
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“……Heresy Inquisitor? From the Moon Pope?”
“Yes. That’s correct.”
Perhaps because the gray-haired woman had frankly revealed her identity as a Heresy Inquisitor, the bloodlust emanating from the knight captains eased somewhat.
The Sun Pope’s subordinates were Heresy Adjudicators, while the Moon Pope’s were Heresy Inquisitors. Though the names differed by just one character and many players used them interchangeably, they were distinctly separate organizations.
In the game as well, the combat priests under the Heresy Adjudicators wore heavy plate armor and wielded maces and large shields, whereas those under the Heresy Inquisitors donned dark clerical robes and carried only a single rapier, without shields—clear differences indeed.
Both groups shared one thing in common, however: they were infamous across the continent in various ways.
Just as the Heresy Adjudicators and their combat nuns were known as the Holy Kingdom’s greatest and strongest martial force, the Heresy Inquisitors and their combat nuns were renowned as its supreme assassination unit.
Rumors even swirled that if the two groups combined forces, they could wipe out an entire vast territory in a single night—something even knight captains couldn’t ignore.
But revealing her identity didn’t mean they fully lowered their guards. The intent had merely shifted from “kill on sight” to “let’s hear her out.” Sword tips still pointed at the gray-haired woman.
Especially Iris, who had just heard how a Heresy Adjudicator from the Sun Pope had arbitrarily branded Delta a heretic moments ago, stripped him, and groped his chest to “verify his purity.”
“What brings a Heresy Inquisitor of the Holy Kingdom here?”
“You yourself just said the Holy Kingdom must have sent some message to the Emperor. Don’t you have an idea?”
“……So you’re that means of contact.”
“You’ve hit the mark again.”
The woman who called herself Selene raised both hands slightly to head height, signaling she had no intent to fight.
“As I said earlier, I didn’t come here to fight. So if you’d lower your weapons, I’d be grateful.”
“That’s not for us to decide.”
“She’s right. This isn’t for the knight captains to decide. It’s my call.”
Aurora stepped forward from the back. Erika and Claudia tried to stop her, warning that getting too close could be dangerous just in case, but Aurora dismissed their concerns with a wave of her hand.
“So, you hinted to His Majesty the Emperor to issue that order to our Delta?”
“I merely conveyed His Holiness the Pope’s words, Lady Aurora. Do you think I have the power to change or sway your Emperor’s feelings toward you?”
“Well, Aunt’s not the type for that anyway. Then what’s the reason?”
“Reason for what?”
“The reason you met Aunt and passed on the message that Delta’s heading to the Holy Kingdom. We could come and go between the two nations anytime without that. The Aiterum Empire and Raphaella Holy Kingdom aren’t on such hostile terms that even travel requires special permission, right? It wasn’t strictly necessary—why bother?”
“On the contrary, it was absolutely necessary.”
“So what’s the reason? You gonna keep repeating yourself?”
“To prevent a conflict between your Emperor and the Sun Pope.”
Aurora drew in a sharp, stunned breath at the utterly mad response of preventing a conflict between the Emperor and the Pope. The other knight captains reacted the same way.
No need to mention myself.
Only the maids kept their usual expressions. Whether they truly weren’t surprised, were forcing calm despite shock, or simply didn’t grasp the words’ gravity—only they knew.
“……Looks like this is something we need to discuss privately. Everyone agree?”
It was a roundabout way of asking them to leave. The maids caught on, bowed politely, and filed out of the drawing room in a line. Click. The last maid closed the door.
Confirming the maids had all left, Aurora pressed her forehead and let out a long sigh.
“Explain in more detail. A conflict? Between His Majesty and His Holiness?”
“You didn’t know?”
Selene replied flatly.
“Your Emperor is far more obsessed with that man than you realize. It was necessary to inform you of our intentions in advance so His Holiness wouldn’t feel like we were stealing him away. That’s why I came here.”
The words were delivered matter-of-factly, but their impact was enormous. The shock froze my body solid.
‘What did I just hear?’
The Emperor was obsessed with me?
To the point that even a simple visit to the Holy Kingdom to meet the Pope warranted extreme caution, requiring a Heresy Inquisitor to personally assure him it wasn’t the intent?
The only real encounter I remembered was blocking one attack from him during the lord-subjugation event, just like in the game. Why?
I’d sensed something off when I received the letter with his seal, but learning his interest in me was far greater than I’d imagined sent chills down my spine.
My head throbbed. I’d never heard of the Emperor showing the protagonist this much attention from the start. Thinking of the main story ahead already felt daunting.
The others seemed to feel the same; everyone except Selene, the one who’d said it, wore faces full of shock. Lize looked especially grave.
“Now that I’ve explained even the reason for my visit, are you ready to lower your weapons?”
“……Everyone, stand down.”
Aurora bit her lip and gave the order. The knight captains slowly sheathed their weapons.
“Got it for now. We’ll think this over later.”
She said we’d think it over, but even for Aurora, there was no choice but to accept quietly. Who could block the Emperor if he took an interest in me?
“If you’re here to relay a message to His Majesty, why stop by ours? You’re not gonna say you just dropped in, are you?”
“Of course not. Per the Moon Pope’s command, I’ve come to escort you all to the Holy Kingdom.”
“Escort? Not surveillance?”
“Pure escort. The domains of Sun and Moon are inviolable. Once the Sun welcomes you as guests, the Moon will never interfere.”
“Inviolable? Never interfere?”
Aurora scoffed.
“Isn’t the very fact you’re here already a violation? The Sun Pope invited us, didn’t he? So why send a Heresy Inquisitor instead of an Adjudicator? Aren’t the two Popes’ domains supposed to be off-limits to each other?”
“This contact was at the Moon Pope’s command—I know nothing more. But I trust you all can read between the lines.”
“Hah. You’re just beating around the bush because you don’t want to say it outright.”
As if the whole situation irked her, Aurora sneered mockingly. Selene took it in stride, impassive.
“Strictly speaking, it has nothing to do with my own will, but the outcome is the same, so feel free to think whatever suits you.”
“Fine, fine. I’ll take it as you refusing to say.”
Aurora let out a heavy sigh.
“When do we depart? You might not know, but our kids just got back from monster subjugation less than an hour ago. Aunt’s letter didn’t specify a date anyway—I want at least two days’ rest, minimum. Maybe more.”
“You may depart whenever you wish, but I recommend keeping rest to within three days. Your Emperor is not a patient man.”
She was right. Since the Emperor had personally ordered us to the Holy Kingdom, we couldn’t dawdle here for days. Two days’ rest at most, then straight off.
Selene knew that full well, which was why she calmly responded even to Aurora’s half-threat that she could hole up here for months if provoked.
“Finally, all knight captains must accompany us to the Holy Kingdom.”
“Why?”
This time, Iris stepped forward. Her weapon was down, but her eyes still burned with wariness.
“It’s the Moon Pope’s directive, so I don’t know.”
“That won’t do. One of us must stay to guard the lady.”
“Worry not.”
Selene’s eyes flashed briefly. Shadows writhed in corners of the drawing room, rising and shifting into human forms. I jolted in surprise, but the knight captains remained unfazed.
The writhing shadows fully morphed into perfect human shapes. All women, heads veiled in black.
Their attire was outrageously provocative in another sense.
If the Heresy Adjudicators’ combat nuns wore outfits that revealed more than they covered, the Heresy Inquisitors’ combat nuns wrapped their bodies tightly—though with far less exposure overall.
Except that tight wrapping was semi-transparent black tights.
The tights clung vacuum-sealed, seamless against the skin. I wondered how anyone could even put them on or take them off.
Unlike shiny latex, the semi-transparency laid bare the flesh beneath: taut eleven-pack abs, the navel beside them, and so on.
Had the top not resembled a leather jacket sliced clean below the nipples, even the peaks of their breasts would’ve been visible. It seemed designed not to cover, but to accentuate.
At least they wore bottoms—otherwise, the cleft between their legs would’ve been on full display.
No idea why they faithfully wore those garter belts, though.
“I wondered when you’d show yourselves. If you’d lingered after she left, I’d have cut you down.”
“You noticed?”
“Did you think we wouldn’t?”
“That wasn’t my intent. If it came across that way, I apologize.”
While Selene and Iris exchanged words, the combat nuns risen from shadow knelt on one knee before Selene, heads bowed.
There were twelve in total, all with dark silver hair streaked gray and purple eyes. Considering Stella’s combat nuns were all blonde with green eyes, there seemed some secret here.
Though right now, with the Emperor business clouding my mind, I couldn’t dwell on it.
“My subordinate combat nuns will protect you. They’ll watch every moment, so set your worries aside.”
Selene snapped her fingers. The kneeling nuns melted into shadows and vanished. Aurora scanned the room with a sour expression.
“Knowing I’ll be watched all day sours my mood.”
“They’ll only surveil the estate exterior. Unless something special arises, they won’t peer inside.”
“……Well, that’s fine then. Anyway, got it.”
“Yes. I’ll take my leave.”
With that, Selene pulled her robe fully over her head again. Her dark silver ponytail vanished into the fabric, her purple eyes disappearing.
Back to the exact form she’d first appeared in, Selene offered a final greeting.
“Rest well. See you at departure.”
Soon after, the robed figure shattered like moonlight and faded away.
In the moon’s absence, sunlight poured down once more.